Thirteen years after the murder of Greek rapper Pavlos Fyssas by a member of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, the European Parliament in Brussels hosted a theatrical tribute to his life and legacy. The performance, a monologue written by Maria Louka and directed by Korais Damatis, drew on actual witness statements from the trial that followed the killing.
Actress Dora Chrysikou portrayed a young woman who witnessed the far-right crime, bringing to life the fear and courage of an ordinary person thrust into the spotlight of history. The piece, presented with English and French subtitles, was staged at a moment when far-right parties are gaining ground across the continent, including in recent German elections.
A symbolic stand against fascism
PASOK MEP Nikolas Farantouris, who invited the production to Brussels, framed the event as a deliberate political statement. "No to the far-right agenda. We must not subscribe to the agenda of fear," he said. "We have to provide solutions without entering into dialogue with those who want to overturn democracy. They have already crept into the European Parliament and, with the mask of modernisation, with the mask of normality, they are trying to persuade us that they have solutions to the world's problems."
Chrysikou, who was two years older than Fyssas, recalled the shock of 18 September 2013, when the rapper was stabbed to death in the Athens district of Keratsini. "I remember very clearly how we woke up on that day," she said. "Then I started following the trial. That was the turning point when I conceived the idea, but quite a long time passed between conception and implementation."
The performance also honoured Fyssas's family, with Chrysikou expressing deep respect for their resilience. "I wanted to tell this story together with Pavlos's family," she explained. "This deep respect and love that I developed for this family, and of course when I understood what kind of person Pavlos was. He had a profound affirmation of goodness and solidarity."
For Chrysikou, the staging at the European Parliament carried a powerful symbolism. "For the first time someone walks across the benches of the European Parliament. It is a symbolic gesture to show that we will stamp out fascism," she said. "For the first time in the European Parliament a message of democracy and peace is heard so clearly. After all, weren't these also the founding causes of the European Union?"
The monologue's protagonist is deliberately unheroic—transparent, fragile, a neighbour or a friend struggling with fear just before giving testimony. "This performance illuminates the personality of Pavlos Fyssas, but it also sheds light on all of us, the average person," Chrysikou noted. "Because we live in a time when the 'mind your own business' is more powerful and dominant than ever."
The timing of the tribute was also significant: it coincided with the release from prison of Ilias Kasidiaris, a former Golden Dawn MP, who has announced his intention to return to politics. The rise of far-right parties in several EU member states, including Germany, France, and Italy, has heightened concerns among pro-democracy campaigners.
Fyssas's murder led to a landmark trial in Greece, which convicted the leadership of Golden Dawn as a criminal organisation. The case remains a touchstone in the fight against political violence in Europe. As the continent grapples with resurgent extremism, the memory of Fyssas serves as a reminder of the human cost of hatred.
The event in Brussels was part of broader efforts by MEPs to keep the issue on the political agenda. Farantouris stressed the need for constructive solutions rather than engagement with those who seek to undermine democratic institutions. "We have to provide solutions without entering into dialogue with those who want to overturn democracy," he reiterated.
For those who attended, the performance was more than a memorial; it was a call to vigilance. As Chrysikou put it, the story of Pavlos Fyssas is not just about one man's death, but about the collective responsibility to resist indifference and defend the values of the European project.
